NEW YORK — Natural beauty brand Mineral Fusion is ramping up its hair care portfolio with new packaging for its existing products, as well as new offerings.

Leveraging the BB cream craze, Mineral Fusion has introduced its first natural Beauty Balm for Hair collection, a range of multi-tasking styling essentials to revitalize and strengthen the follicles from root to tip. Available in four formulations, Mineral Fusion Beauty Balms for Hair are designed to provide maximum performance and nourishment in one step.

The formulations include:

Curl Care: Designed to enhance and define curls with a natural hold with the added benefit of murumuru butter;

Also new is the Gray Root Concealer for Hair, a natural, quick fix to maintain hair color in between appointments. Infused with pure mineral pigments, Gray Root Concealer instantly camouflages gray hair to create a fresh look. Packaged with dual-ended components, the concealer provides blendable coverage from roots to end, allowing women to cut down on long, expensive trips to the salon while still achieving a flawless look.

The Gray Root Concealer is available in four shades: black, dark brown, medium and light brown.

Both the Beauty Balms for Hair and the Gray Root Concealer for Hair are priced at $12.99 each and are launching in October. They will be available at MineralFusion.com and Whole Foods Markets nationwide.

Pharmacy Choice and Access Now pushes for passage of Pa. vaccination bill

PITTSBURGH — A consumer group is urging the Pennsylvania state legislature to increase access to vaccines for children and teenagers.

Pharmacy Choice and Access Now said Wednesday it was encouraging the Pennsylvania General Assembly to support House Bill 776, which would pharmacists to help increase immunization rates among children ages 7 years and older, with parental consent. The bill, sponsored by Republican state Rep. Seth Grove, has received support from educators, healthcare professionals and students.

"Being vaccinated is critical to staying healthy at all ages," University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy dean Patricia Kroboth said. "Expanding pharmacists ability to administer vaccinations would be a big step toward correcting this and improving the health of people of the commonwealth. Pharmacists are trained and ready to help ensure that all school-age children and teenagers are properly vaccinated, and this legislation would give them the ‘go-ahead’ to fulfill that mission."

While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends annual flu shots for everyone ages 6 months and older, and state law requires all children entering seventh grade to receive vaccinations against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis, parents can face many obstacles when getting their children vaccinated. For example, annual visits to the doctor may not coincide with the need for a vaccine, and it may be difficult to get vaccinated in areas with physician shortages, while work schedules may make doctor appointments difficult to schedule. By contrast, pharmacies are usually open in evenings and on weekends and often offer vaccinations on a walk-in basis.

Most patients with rheumatoid arthritis spend $1,000 out of pocket, even if they have insurance

PHILADELPHIA — The results of a large survey of patients with rheumatoid arthritis have been published, the company that conducted the survey said Wednesday.

The RA in America 2013 survey included 1,055 respondents with RA at all four stages of the disease — ranging from mild to very severe — who reported symptoms like hand and wrist pain and swelling, general body stiffness, knee pain and fatigue. Such symptoms occurred most frequently in patients between 45 years and 54 years. Respondents reported using a wide range of pharmacologic and complementary and alternative therapies, and 59% report spending more than $1,000 per year out of pocket despite most having health insurance. Almost one-quarter of respondents report being on disability, and 24.6% report that the disease affects their personal relationships; 29.6% report effects on professional development; and 30.6% report effects on relationships with their children.

"We were very pleased at the level of participation we received with this survey," Health Union president Tim Armand said. "For the general public, the results shed light on what it’s like to live with RA, and the results will help RA patients themselves see how others live with and manage the disease."

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